

Treatment decisions must be made on the basis of clinical history and signs and symptoms of cyanide intoxication. There is no widely available, rapid, confirmatory cyanide blood test. Hypertension (early)/Hypotension (late)ĭiagnosing Cyanide Poisoning May Be DifficultThe presence and extent of cyanide poisoning are often initially unknown.Altered mental status (e.g., confusion, disorientation).Signs and SymptomsCommon signs and symptoms of cyanide poisoning include 1: Cyanide poisoning may result from inhalation, ingestion, or dermal exposure to various cyanide-containing compounds, including smoke from closed-space fires. Cyanide Sources and ExposureSources of cyanide poisoning include hydrogen cyanide and its salts, cyanogenic plants, aliphatic nitriles, and prolonged exposure to sodium nitroprusside.
